The Gordon Conference on Neural Development has evolved into one of the key meetings in the field. This subject is very complex, requiring integration of hypotheses and information at the molecular, cellular and systems level. The conference is intended to bring together such a mixture of research groups in a format highly conducive to both formal and informal exchange. In addition, the breadth of the meeting provides an excellent opportunity for those who are beginning their careers or moving into a new subject area. The speakers chosen represent not only some of the most active groups, but also individuals with the capacity to generate useful discussion of their own and other topics. The concept of the meeting has been not to try to cover the field thinly, but to pick areas of exceptional activity or promise. Featured in this program are neurogenesis in the cortex and retina, cell death and trophism, axon outgrowth, development of chemical senses, mouse neurogenesis, segmentation and axial identity, and synapse formation and plasticity. In addition, we have included several speakers whose research has important clinical applications. The meeting is well-balanced, containing both promising young investigators as well as more senior leaders in the field, with 1/3 of the speakers being women. Forty-five to fifty minutes will be allowed for each speaker's topic, of which a third will be devoted to discussion. The afternoons are open for informal interactions. Two poster sessions representing work of the conferees will be scheduled and have been well attended at previous conferences.